Business.govt.nz

Hazardous materials: EPA wants your details

Do you import or manufacture hazardous substances? New rules mean you must give the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) your contact details – even if they already have them.

It’s a new legal obligation introduced in late November, and applies to any business that imports or manufactures hazardous substances for commercial use.

Commercial use can mean for sale or trade, but it also applies if you’re importing or manufacturing a hazardous substance to use in a business setting – for example, a beautician might import a product to use on clients in his or her salon.

From 19 November, you must tell the EPA within 30 days of the first time you import or manufacture a hazardous substance, even if you’ve been handling them for some time.

You need to do this even if the EPA already has your details. This is because its contact lists don’t show whether businesses are importers, manufacturers or have some other interest in its work. So, it wants to update its information.

Hazardous material is a wide-ranging term, covering all kinds of things from soaps and crayons to petrol and explosives. It’s up to you to check if your product is hazardous. The EPA website has detailed information (external link) on what is covered by the term.